Holbein Artist Oil Pastel Set of 40 Colors in Cardboard Box

Holbein Artist oil pastels are fantastic quality, on par with Sennelier for vibrancy and richness of color. Holbein sticks are firmer yet lay down just as richly as Sennelier. They are smooth and velvety without being lipstick soft, so they don't smoosh and wear down as quickly as Sennelier but blend just as beautifully. And being square, they offer a firm edge for line and detail work.I thought I would dislike working with oil pastel sticks that have no paper wrap, but the second I picked one up and laid some color down I was hooked and fell head over heels.Two whites are included with the 40 set, which is great. One can never have too many whites. And there is a gorgeous warm grey tone that is perfect for quick sketching. The 40 sticks are divided into 8 clear plastic cases of 5 sticks each, so they are well protected, and each stick is nestled in its own narrow track to minimize contact with adjacent colors.I will definitely be buying more Holbein Artist oil pastels, no question. If you want to invest in a set of artist grade oil pastels but can't afford Sennelier to start off, the 40 set of Holbein Artist is the way to go. Excellent quality for the price, and sufficent colors for a good starter set.

These are high quality oil pastels. They have good pigmentation and the texture is quite smooth, but not sticky. My swatch chart is on pretty smooth paper and doesn’t do them justice, but I’m including the picture in case anyone is looking for a color chart specific to this set with color names (excluding the turquoise green, instead there are two whites in the set to make 40).

These oil pastels are not super soft which helps make them last longer. The size of the sticks are larger than other brands and come in a square design without wrappers. They are divided into plastic container sets of 5 sticks each. The consistency is very nice, not waxy but creamy and the saturation and blend ability is very good without solvent or a blending stump. For me they work best with a light hand and layered or blended with my finger but they can also handle a lot of pressure if needed. I have 4 or 5 other brands and the Holbein's are my favorite due to their versatility and ease of use.

These are fantastic. Great pigmentation and feel to them. A little goes a long way. Awesome quality!

Really a fantastic value for a top quality oil pastel. Some of the names for the colors, however, do not correspond to names at other art stores. How can I replace them? Maybe some were made only for this set? The warm grey, Mars Orange, and the Sepia are unique and amazing, but no way to replace here in the states.

Have several other brands of oil pastels - these are hands down my favorite! Just perfect. Creamy enough for easy blending, without being too smeary like the Senneliers. Wish I could afford the entire line! This is a fabulous price for the set of 40 - don't pass it by!

These are really creamy oil pastels, a great set for getting you started. Has not only a selection of saturated colors, but it also has some neutrals, which in practice get used up first.

The only thing I didn’t like was that they are messy, other brands have a paper wrapped around the sticks and so your hands don’t get so dirty!